Bird World › Golden-winged cacique › Blue-winged warbler - Vermivora cyanoptera
The blue-winged warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) belongs to the family of New World warblers, the Parulidae.The blue-winged warbler is distributed in Canada, USA, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Caribbean Islands. These warbler species are fully migratory. These warblers are monotypic species.
Appearance, physical description and identification
The blue-winged warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) is a small warbler, measuring 10 to 12 cm in length and weighing 7 to 11 grams.The male blue-winged warbler has bright yellow head, throat, breast and underparts. The nape, flanks and the upperparts are olive green. The wings and tail are pale grayish blue.
The wings have two white patches. There is a black eye stripe. The female is duller, with less yellow on the crown. The juveniles are olive green with pale grayish blue wings.
The bill is sharp, pointed and dark gray in color. The short legs and feet are flesh colored. The irises are blackish. There is a yellowish eye-ring. Their call is a series of buzzing notes and a sharp "chipp" sound.
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| 1.American birds - Blue-winged warbler - Vermivora cyanoptera Image by Wwcsig |
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| 2.American birds - Blue-winged warbler - Vermivora cyanoptera Image by Tom Murray |
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| 3.American birds - Blue-winged warbler - Vermivora cyanoptera Image by Tommy P World |
Origin, geographical range and distribution
The blue-winged warbler is distributed in southeast Canada, eastern USA, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and several Caribbean Islands.Ecosystem and habitat
These warbler species do not normally occur in forests. They normally occurs in altitudes between 0 to 100 meters.The natural ecosystems and habitats of these species include temperate grasslands, temperate shrublands, edges of forests, clearings in forests and neglected fields with scrub growth.
Diet and feeding behavior
The diet of these blue-winged warbler species consists mainly of invertebrates. Insects, insect larvae, caterpillars, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers and spiders are their primary food. They forage on the ground and in bushes.Reproduction and breeding habits
The breeding season of these warbler species is from May to July in most of their breeding range. They are monogamous and solitary nesters. They nest on the ground or on low bushes, hidden from predators.The nest is a cone-shaped cup, built with leaves, bark stripes and plant fibers. It is lined with feathers and fine rootlets. The clutch contains four to six eggs.
The female warbler incubates the eggs. The chicks hatch out after 10 days of incubation. The hatchlings are altricial, depending completely on parents for brooding, feeding and protection. They fledge after 10 days.
Migration and movement patterns
These blue-winged warbler species are fully migratory birds. The breeding populations occur in northeast USA and southeast Canada (Ontario and Quebec provinces). Populations under migration are found in southeast USA.They leave breeding grounds during August to winter in southeastern USA, central America, Colombia and Caribbean islands. The return migration to the breeding grounds takes place in early summer.
Blue-winged warbler - Quick Facts
- Scientific name: Vermivora cyanoptera
- Species author: (Olson & Reveal, 2009)
- Synonyms/Protonym: Certhia cyanoptera Olson and Reveal, 2009
- Family: Parulidae › Passeriformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Vernacular names: English: Blue-winged warbler, Chinese: 蓝翅虫森莺, French: Paruline à ailes bleues, German: Blauflügel-Waldsänger, Spanish: Reinita aliazul, Russian: Сосновая червеедка, Japanese: アオバネアメリカムシクイ
- Other names: Blue-winged Warbler, Brewster's Warbler, Lawrence's Warbler
- Distribution: Canada, USA, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Caribbean Islands
- Diet and feeding habits: insects, invertebrates, spiders
- IUCN status listing: Least Concern (LC)
Conservation and survival
The global population size of the blue-winged warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) has not been quantified. The overall population trend of the species is reported to be decreasing.In most of its range, this species is reported to be fairly common to common. The generation length is 3.7 years. Its distribution size is about 2,040,000 sq.km.
Ecosystem degradation, ecosystem conversion and trapping of adults and juveniles for pet-trade are the main threats that may endanger the survival of the warbler species.
IUCN and CITES status
The blue-winged warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) species does not approach the thresholds for being Vulnerable either under the range size criterion, or under the population trend criterion or under the population size criterion.The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated the species and has listed it as of "Least Concern".
The CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) status is ‘Not Evaluated’ for the blue-winged warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera).
| Taxonomy and scientific classification of Vermivora cyanoptera | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Parulidae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Vermivora |
| Species: | V. cyanoptera |
| Binomial name: | Vermivora cyanoptera |
| IUCN status listing: |
 Least Concern |
1.Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue-winged_Warbler.jpg (cropped)
Image author: Wwcsig | License: CC BY-SA 3.0 as on 11/29/18
2.Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tmurray74/34437261785/ (cropped)
Image author: Tom Murray | License: CC BY-NC 2.0 as on 11/29/18
3.Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tommype5/14296018630/in/photostream/ (cropped)
Image author: Tommy P World | License: CC BY-NC 2.0 as on 11/29/18
Website for detailed description and information on distribution, habitat, behavior, feeding and breeding habits, migration and conservation status of beautiful birds with their images.
Updated Nov 29, 2018
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